He was a leading Brexiteer in the battle to get the UK out of the EU. And Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg is convinced Britain will not rejoin the Brussels club despite Andy Burnham‘s bid to reverse Brexit.

The Prime Minister, who promised not to “re-run” Brexit arguments when standing in the by-election in Leave-voting Makerfield, is looking at options for the long-term relationship with the bloc.

But speaking to the Express at his London townhouse, Sir Jacob warned Mr Burnham against dragging the country back into the bloc without a referendum.

The Tory grandee said: “I think not only would it be undemocratic, but it wouldn’t be feasible, because if you can join simply by Act of Parliament, you can leave by Act of Parliament.”

Pointing out that Labour “will not be in government forever”, he added that a future Conservative or Reform UK government could “leave again”.

He said: “I think people like me, Conservatives, people in Reform, would be absolutely clear that if we were to rejoin by Act of Parliament without the consent of the British people, we would not see that as valid.”

The former Cabinet minister also insisted that voters would opt to stay out if given another say in a fresh referendum.

Sir Jacob said: “Do I think we’ll rejoin? No, because when you say to people do you want potentially millions of people coming across from the EU reversing the work that’s been done to get immigration under control, they say no.

“When you say to them, do you want to join the single currency, they say no.

“And when you say to them, do you want to give £35billion a year to the EU, they say no.

“So as soon as we get into the debate, people will realise that all the reasons they voted to leave are still true.”

Mr Burnham has committed to his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer’s red lines not to return to the single market, customs union or free movement during the current parliament.

But he has not ruled out a pledge to rejoin the EU in Labour’s next election manifesto, although he has said voters would be “the boss” of any changes.

Sir Jacob argued that returning to Brussels would “make all our economic problems worse” and that Britain needs to slash red tape.

He said: “The European economies are failing. This is not a club that anybody in their right mind would want to join.

“What we need economically is to deregulate, to get energy prices down, to reverse the increase in regulation in employment that Labour has brought in, and to reform our tax system so we actually welcome people with money.”

And he said it was “idiotic” to blame Brexit for the small boats crisis after the Prime Minister claimed it has blocked Britain from returning migrants.

Sir Jacob said: “The problem is that Europe cannot secure its borders. If Europe could secure its borders, we wouldn’t have people getting into France to get here.”

Mr Burnham is expected to unveil a new deal with the EU on food and farming at a joint summit later this month which would see the UK follow the bloc’s rules in those areas, as well as an agreement on emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme.

Sir Jacob branded it “an attempt to rejoin by the backdoor” which “gets us all the disadvantages of the EU without being a member”.

The former Tory MP also issued a stark warning over the risk of another five years of Labour amid ongoing speculation that Mr Burnham will call an early general election.

The party has enjoyed a poll bounce since he entered 10 Downing Street, with Left-wing voters returning from the Greens.

He said: “Five years of Burnham-style socialism would be catastrophic for this country at the moment.

“What we need is economic growth. What he offers is socialist measures that have failed in the past, which will not lead to growth. Indeed, they’ll lead to a further economic decline.”

The Conservatives are also showing signs of a recovery, with Kemi Badenoch’s party in second place just two points behind Labour in the latest YouGov poll.

Sir Jacob insisted the Tory leader could be the next PM, but warned against writing off Nigel Farage after a difficult period for Reform.

He said: “He is a formidable political campaigner who has a really remarkable connection with voters, so I hold Nigel in high regard and I wouldn’t dream of writing him off. What I really want is for Nigel to join the Tory Party.”

Sir Jacob has been calling for the Right of British politics to unite, but Mrs Badenoch and Mr Farage have ruled out any pact.

But he suggested voters could be left to vote tactically as he pointed to recent by-elections in Makerfield and Aberdeen South.

He said: “In Makerfield, the Tories got no votes, all the Tories voted Reform. In Aberdeen South, Reform got 6% of the vote, most Reform supporters voted Conservative.

“You don’t always need the party leaders to do deals. Voters aren’t pieces on the chessboard to be moved about, they are sentient beings who will make up their own minds.”

Sir Jacob narrowly lost the newly created seat of North East Somerset and Hanham at the 2024 general election.

On his political future and whether he will stand for the Tories at the next general election, the father-of-six said: “Well, if anyone will have me, yes. So, I will throw my hat into the ring, and I’ll see if it gets thrown back or kept. We shall see.”

Andy Burnham Issued Huge Warning by Top Brexiteer Over Rejoining the EU

Andy Burnham’s comments about potentially taking Britain back into the European Union have reignited one of the country’s most divisive political debates. His suggestion that the UK should examine every possible option, including full EU membership, has prompted strong criticism from Brexit supporters, who warn that reversing the historic decision could create serious political and economic consequences.

The debate comes at a sensitive moment for Britain. Almost a decade after the 2016 referendum, the country continues to face questions about trade, immigration, economic growth and its position on the international stage. While supporters of closer European relations believe Brexit has damaged Britain’s economic prospects, opponents argue that returning to Brussels would undermine the democratic decision made by millions of voters.

For Burnham, the challenge is finding a way to improve relations with Europe’s largest political and economic bloc without reopening divisions that have shaped British politics for years.

A Major Political Row Over Britain’s Future

Burnham has indicated that Britain should consider several possible arrangements with the European Union. These include maintaining the existing relationship, negotiating a closer customs arrangement, returning to the single market or eventually pursuing full membership.

His comments represent a significant development in the Brexit debate because Labour’s 2024 election manifesto ruled out rejoining the single market and customs union, as well as restoring freedom of movement.

The Prime Minister has argued that the current arrangements are not delivering everything Britain needs. He believes a closer relationship with European countries could help improve economic cooperation, strengthen trade and address problems associated with immigration and security.

However, his remarks have attracted criticism from prominent supporters of Brexit, who believe that reopening the question of EU membership risks undermining the result of the 2016 referendum.

For them, Brexit was not simply an economic decision. It was also a decision about national sovereignty, democratic accountability and Britain’s ability to determine its own policies.

The Warning From Brexit Supporters

One of the central arguments made by leading Brexiteers is that Britain should not underestimate the consequences of returning to the European Union.

They argue that membership would involve accepting a new set of political and economic obligations, potentially including financial contributions, regulatory commitments and restrictions on independent trade policy.

Critics also question whether British politicians have adequately explained what rejoining would actually mean.

The UK previously enjoyed several special arrangements within the EU, including important exemptions from the euro and the Schengen passport-free travel area. If Britain applied to join again, it could not simply assume that every previous arrangement would automatically be restored.

This raises difficult questions for Burnham. Would the country be prepared to accept membership on different terms? Would voters support those conditions? And would European governments agree to the arrangements Britain wanted?

These are important issues that cannot be resolved through political speeches alone.